The present invention relates to a vehicle window structure which seals a passenger compartment from an outside or exterior environment of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in a window glass seal member disposed between the window glass and the outer body member. The window glass seal member obviates the installation problems encountered with known devices.
FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional vehicle window structure taken along the line II--II of FIG. 1. In the conventional vehicle window structure, a surface 12 of a conventional seal member 10 is disposed on an inner surface 42 in the vicinity of a lower peripheral edge 44 of the window glass 40. Another surface 14 of the conventional seal member 10 is disposed on an outer surface 22 in the vicinity of an upper edge 24 of the outer body member 20. The upper edge 24 of the outer body member 20 defines a lower peripheral edge of a vehicle window opening. The conventional seal member 10 is fitted in the vicinity of the upper edge 24 of the outer body member 20, and is usually made of a butyrated resin.
An inner body member 90 is in contact with an inner surface 21 of the outer body member 20. The outer body member 20 has a hole 26 in the vicinity of the upper edge 24 thereof, and the inner body member 90 has a corresponding hole 92 in the vicinity of an upper edge thereof. The hole 26 of the outer body member 20 is congruent with the hole 92 of the inner body member 90. A retainer 80 is fixed on the outer body member 20 through a bolt and a nut. The bolt is inserted into a hole 82 of the retainer 80, the hole 26 of the outer body member 20 and the hole 92 of the inner body member 90. The retainer 80 has a flange 84 on which a window molding 50 is mounted through a screw 52. An upper edge 54 of the window molding 50 is in contact with an outer surface 46 of the window glass 40, and a lower edge 56 of the window molding 50 is in contact with the outer body member 20. The window molding 50 improves the aesthetic appearance around the window glass 40.
A packing 70 is disposed between the outer surface 22 of the outer body member 20 and an inner surface 86 of the retainer 80 for preventing the retainer 80 from hitting or contacting the outer surface 22 of the outer body member 20. The packing 70 is disposed under the conventional seal member 10, and a space is defined between the packing 70 and the conventional seal member 10. If the conventional seal member 10 is mounted on the packing 70, the sealing effect of the seal member 10 is detracted. Because, an area of the another surface 14 of the conventional seal member 10 is reduced, and a gap is defined between the another surface 14 of the conventional seal member 10 and the packing 70. Accordingly, the upper edge 24 of the outer body member 20 extends considerably upward beyond the hole 26 to provide the space between the packing 70 and seal member 10. As a result, a vehicle cannot have a large window, and a wide field of view for passengers cannot be obtained.
The installation procedure for installing the conventional window structure is cumbersome. When these components are installed on the body member, first of all, the packing 70 is first fixed on the outer body member 20 and the conventional seal member 10 is then mounted on the outer surface 22 of the outer body member 20. Thereafter the door glass 40 is mounted on the conventional seal member 10. Finally, the window molding 50 and the retainer 80 are fixed on the outer body member 20 by the bolt and the nut.
Accordingly, the packing 70, the conventional seal member 10, the window molding 50 and the retainer 80 are separated from the window glass 40, so that these components must be installed piece by piece. As a result, installation entails a substantial amount of time and effort.
Another type of conventional window structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,083 to Dochnakl. The '083 patent discloses sealing member having two side-by-side oppositely facing channels, one of which surrounds a peripheral edge of a window glass, while the other fits over a flange surrounding the window opening of the vehicle. The window and sealing member are first installed on the vehicle and then retaining clips are secured to the vehicle body to press the sealing member and glass against the flange. Thereafter, a decrative beading cover is attached to the retainer.
The '083 patent suffers from many of the disadvantages noted in connection with the window structure of FIG. 5. For example, the installation process of the window structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,083 is cumbersome since it entails a piece-by-piece installation. In addition, the flange of the '083 patent must have a height sufficient to support the channel of the sealing member, the height of the flange thus decreasing the field of view through the window.